What was framed as a step up in competition turned into a quick night’s work for Gradus Kraus, who dismantled Sean Hemphill in just 63 seconds at the First Direct Arena in Leeds.

The undefeated Dutch light heavyweight contender wasted no time setting the pace. From the opening bell, Kraus trapped Hemphill against the ropes with aggressive pressure, preventing the American from finding his rhythm. Pinning his opponent in the corner, the 25-year-old unleashed a crisp right hand followed by a relentless onslaught of heavy power shots. With Hemphill unable to defend or break free, referee John Latham intervened to save him from further punishment at 1:03 of the very first round.

The dominant finish was surprising given Hemphill’s solid resume coming in. The New Orleans native had previously demonstrated his durability by claiming a majority decision over Mark Jeffers on English soil and going the full distance against former world champion William Scull. However, none of that top-level experience proved effective against Kraus’ explosive speed and force.

The victory marks Kraus’ fifth career stoppage in the opening round, maintaining his terrifying form at 12-0 with 11 knockouts. Towering at 6-foot-2, the powerful 175-pounder has quickly outgrown developmental opponents and demonstrated that he is ready for world-caliber testing.